Hey Guys, i just found this revolver at my grandfathers house, it looks really old and all i can get from it is the serial number. If anyone has a way of telling what kind it is/when it was made i would really appreciate it. Its a 228XXX, There are only numbers no letters. ive also included a picture.

Hey Guys, i just found this revolver at my grandfathers house, it looks really old and all i can get from it is the serial number. If anyone has a way of telling what kind it is/when it was made i would really appreciate it. Its a 228XXX, There are only numbers no letters. ive also included a picture.

If it's 32 S&W caliber it would be a .32 Double Action 4th Model with serial numbers running from 43406 in 1883 to 282999 in 1909.
If it's 38 S&W caliber then it's a .38 Double Action 3rd Model with serial numbers running from 119001 in 1884 to 322700 in 1895.

Rokky: your revolver serial number falls between ADT3000 (January 1984) & AEV9999 (November 1984). Strangely, the 15-4 was introduced in 1977 and replaced by the 15-5 in 1982, so either some old frames were being used up in 1984 or yours was stamped out of sequence sometime between 1980 with the introduction of the AAAxxxx serial range and the official discontinuation of the 15-4 in 1982.

I was given a S&W revolver six shot that is in pretty good shape. I can't find a model number anywhere on it. It's got a short barrell and has a crown and BNP stamped on it. The serial number is 8393XX. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

A pre-model 10 (I think, there is no model number on the crane; .38 special, 6 round cylinder, fixed sights, 4" pencil barrell) My father acquired this in the mid-late '60's, it may be a former NYPD gun, but is not marked in anyway that I can tell. Serial number #C4005xx.

Also, a model 36-1, #J6412xx. LNIB, with all papers, but no tools.

Are these guns +P safe? Any estimate on value?

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by The Captain; March 10, 2009 at 12:06 PM.
Reason: add info

Radagast,
I bought the gun new in the early 80's, but just can't remember exactly when. I have all the tags and the box, but can't find the receipt. I knew they discontinued the model 15 sometime after I bought it.
Believe it or not the gun has never been fired. I got it for home defense and just never got around to trying it out. Just take it and clean it ever do often.
I have been trying to find a S&W build date chart for this model, but had no luck.
Thanks for the info.

Rokky: your revolver serial number falls between ADT3000 (January 1984) & AEV9999 (November 1984). Strangely, the 15-4 was introduced in 1977 and replaced by the 15-5 in 1982, so either some old frames were being used up in 1984 or yours was stamped out of sequence sometime between 1980 with the introduction of the AAAxxxx serial range and the official discontinuation of the 15-4 in 1982.

I'm curious, is the barrel pinned? 15-5 in 1982 was the elimination of the pinned barrel.

Quote:

I have all the tags and the box, but can't find the receipt. I knew they discontinued the model 15 sometime after I bought it.

Just an FYI, the model 15 was not discontinued until 1999 and then brought back in 2001 as a Performance Center gun with the Heritage Series.

Quote:

I was given a S&W revolver six shot that is in pretty good shape. I can't find a model number anywhere on it. It's got a short barrell and has a crown and BNP stamped on it. The serial number is 8393XX. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Caliber as stamped on the barrel?

Quote:

A pre-model 10 (I think, there is no model number on the crane; .38 special, 6 round cylinder, fixed sights, 4" pencil barrell) My father acquired this in the mid-late '60's, it may be a former NYPD gun, but is not marked in anyway that I can tell. Serial number #C4005xx.

Also, a model 36-1, #J6412xx. LNIB, with all papers, but no tools.

Are these guns +P safe? Any estimate on value?

C4005XX = ~1957. Pre model marked guns (pre 1958) are not recommended for +P. Value depends on condition, $250 well used to about $450 in like new.
J6412XX = 1977/78. Okay with +P. 36's are in demand so I'd say $350 to $400 in excellent condition.

A pre-model 10 (I think, there is no model number on the crane; .38 special, 6 round cylinder, fixed sights, 4" pencil barrell) My father acquired this in the mid-late '60's, it may be a former NYPD gun, but is not marked in anyway that I can tell. Serial number #C4005xx.

Also, a model 36-1, #J6412xx. LNIB, with all papers, but no tools.

Are these guns +P safe? Any estimate on value?

C4005XX = ~1957. Pre model marked guns (pre 1958) are not recommended for +P. Value depends on condition, $250 well used to about $450 in like new.
J6412XX = 1977/78. Okay with +P. 36's are in demand so I'd say $350 to $400 in excellent condition.

laytonj1,
I don't see any pin in the barrel.
It looks as though it is screwed in. just my opinion.
When I open the cylinder and look at the frame there is the serial number and directly below that is the number 15-4.
Now, on the hinge that the cylinder is attached to there is the 5 digit number 79XXX.
The 5th digit is a smaller number then the first 4.
Then, over that entire number is stamped a B4 that is larger then the 5 digit number.
The serial number of the gun also appears on the butt of the hand grip.
This is all the numbers that I can find.

curtmac: You have a S&W .38 Double Action 4th Model. Manufactured in the serial number range 322701 to 539000 between 1895 & 1909, those manufactured before serial number 382022 in 1898 are considered antiques by the BATF. Best guess is your gun was made in 1887.

Gurn: Best bet on your gun that is a K200 British Service Revolver, built on the Military & Police frame. The BNP stamp stands for British Nitro Proof, these were made during WWII for the British military, main barrel length is five inches, but four and six have been recorded. Serial number range was 700,000 to 1,0000,000, when the serial number changed over to the Vxxxxxxxxx range, V being for Victory. There is no model number because it pre-dates model numbers which were introduced in 1957. Effectively the K200 is an early variant of the model 10.

K200s where chambered for the British 200 grain .38 S&W round, modern 145 grain S&W ammo can be fired through them. After the war many of these were converted to .38 special by boring through the chambers. Because the case head (and hence chamber) of the .38 S&W is wider than the .38 special, .38 special cases may bulge or crack if fired in a converted gun. If yours is converted I suggest you only fire standard pressure ammunition through it. The shortened barrel suggests it may be a conversion.

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